Andrew Gale: Willey’s got all the attributes to be a big success

Andrew Gale

YORKSHIRE have signed David Willey from Northamptonshire and I think it is a fantastic signing for the club – it shows our intent to keep driving forward to win trophies.

Predominantly, David has had his success in the shorter formats.

But I have played against him in championship cricket as well and he has all the attributes to be successful in the longer format too.

What I like about him is that he’s a match-winning player. He is someone who gets in the game; either with the ball, bat or even in the field.

He adds to what we have got in our team and has the sort of mindset that we want in our players.

In the longer form, he is a bowler who bats. But in the shorter formats, he’s a genuine all-rounder cricketer who does win games both with bat and ball.

David is someone who we have been looking at for a while and we did our homework on him.

Obviously, we have got a good tight-knit dressing room and we wanted to know what sort of character he was as well.

We chatted to Brooksy (Jack Brooks) and Midders (James Middlebrook) about what sort of character he was and when the opportunity came up to have talks with him, the club took the chance.

We have got through to the quarter-finals of the Royal London One Day Cup, albeit after our game with Northants was washed out and if you get through, you get through.

I am sure all the lads are looking forward to the tie against Essex next Thursday. Whether I will be involved or not, I am not sure, but it is a big game for the club – as they all are now.

Looking at the Essex tie, we haven’t had great success down at Chelmsford.

I remember playing a one-day semi-final there where we lost by 25 or 30 runs in a 50-over competition and we’ve played a couple of quarter-finals there in the Twenty20 and not won.

I don’t think it is a fortress like it once was, but they are a good team on their day and the lads will have to play at their full potential. There’s a big prize at the end of it and one of the things you want to tick off in your career is playing in a Lord’s final.

We have an opportunity to do it this year and want to go further than last year when we pretty gutted to miss out to Durham.

The lads have got the bit between their teeth.

Aaron Finch landed back on Thursday and he has recovered quicker than we thought he would do following injury.

He needs some cricket under his belt and will probably play some second-team cricket before he plays for the first team to make sure he is fully recovered.

I know he is pretty hurt by not being picked for Australia, so he’s got a point to prove and any player of his stature who has a point to prove is a good player to have in your team.

It can work in our favour and gives you energy when a player comes in like that and has that will to win.

He will give us that energy and if he has the bit between his teeth, then that can only be good for us as he will score his runs and maybe make a few match-winning knocks.

In terms of this week, I’ve had some good preparation as I wasn’t going to play in the one-dayers.

They said to me to just sort myself out and be ready for the Sussex game.

It’s probably the best preparation I’ve had for a long time.

In terms of the lads, preparation has been a bit hit and miss as the weather has not been great.

Obviously, Adil Rashid wasn’t picked for the final Ashes test at the Oval, but there is no doubt he is going to play a big part when England go over to the UAE.

I guess it is a bit disappointing he has not had a sniff before he is going on that tour.

But I am sure when he gets his chance, he will take it.

He is in good form at the moment with bat and ball and he is just about keeping his good form and when he gets the chance, he’ll take it.

I think it is a case of when not if and I think they have kept him around the squad for that reason, so that he gets used to the international stage so when his opportunity does come around in the UAE, he knows what it is all about.